So we figured it was time to take a step back, and watch something to take the edge off…like Autocar attempting to drift a Nissan LEAF. Why not?

Says Autocar of the experiment:

“The Nissan Leaf is not rear-wheel drive. It does not have a massively powerful turbocharged engine. It does not have a hydraulic handbrake and nor is it inclined to smoke up its tyres at every available opportunity.

It is, in fact, Nissan’s family-friendly, front-wheel drive, flagship electric car. As far as you could get from being a natural drift machine. So what the heck is it doing lining up alongside British Drift Championship competitors?

Well, with a little help in the rear tyre department, we’ll try to answer the question: will it drift?”

Enjoy! Or don’t. There is more serious EV business coming up shortly we imagine.

The LEAF is one of the most refined driving electric cars in it’s class. Very little torque steer, etc. For how smooth and quiet the car is, the handling is actually pretty decent. Just better tires makes the car a very respectable handler. See the C&D article where their LEAF circled the skid pad close to the level of a Porsche 911 after changing the tires/wheels.